New Year's Resolution
by Elinorwrites
Summary: A woman once said that in New Year we will open a book. It's pages are going to be blank; we are going to put words on them ourselves, and the book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. [One-shot·Pepperony].


**A/N:** Hello! Not my first IM:AA One-Shot, but the first one in English, tho! Have in mind that my mother tongue is not English –uhm, duh? - Therefore, you may find lots of Grammar boo-boos here and there; but I hope to improve that! Happy New Year, and Merry belated Christmas! ;)

Iron Man: Armored Adventures © Marvel.

* * *

Beautiful lights shone, the snow stopped falling sharply to take a mild and pleasant pace, thus allowing people to leave their cozy homes to enjoy the night of the New Year eve. The city of New York dressed in a spectacular white, thanks to the snow that filled the place.

"Are you**_ sure_** about this?" asked the redhead woman again. The New Year had arrived without much anticipation for Team Iron Man, no thanks to the several missions and activities that implied the lives of the current superheroes. "It feels like it was _yesterday_ when we were saving those kids on Christmas' Eve" the woman said, sighing deeply.

"I think it would be good to go out" said Tony; who was still busy looking for the car keys in the disaster of his lab "I forgot it was New Year" the genius confessed "Here they are, _finally_!" the young man exclaimed. With keys in his mouth, he placed his coat and scarf tightly around himself to turn around and look at her girlfriend.

"Is there something _wrong_ with my face, Stark?" asked the woman carefully. "_Is it_?" she insisted after a moment.

"Nope" he replied quickly, raising his hands to calm her down "I was just _wondering_" he continued getting closer to her, smiling. She tried to speak, but he quickly shushed her with his finger; staring at her deeply and closing the distance between them "I was wondering about _us_" he continued carefully taking her cold hands.

"What about_ us_?" Pepper retorted, furrowing her eyes.

"_About…_" he whispered softly.

"You guys! I was looking for _**both**_ of you" a voice interrupted, causing the couple to separate discretely. "I thought that you said that we were going to have dinner together" Rhodey said, pointing directly at Tony "and you promised me that you'll drag him out of his lab" he finally said, staring at Pepper.

The redheaded woman cleared her throat nervously "And I thought that **you** were going to call us when you were done with your new girlfriend, Rhodes" she reminded him angrily, taking deep breaths to try to calm her self down "I'll be right back" she continued, taking her stuffs and going to the small bathroom on the back of the temple.

"Geez, was I interrupting something?" he asked Tony concerned about his friend's reaction to his sudden appearance on the temple.

"Uhm, no" Tony replied, scratching the back of his neck nervously "You know women, they are like…you know? Never mind. She'll be fine." He quickly added, taking his Stark-Pod from his right pocket, wincing.

After long minutes, and many _'what the heck is she doing in there'_ questions coming from the boys Pepper was finally out and ready to their little Reunion. And after some serious jokes and yelling between Rhodey and Pepper, the trio was out of the temple and getting into the car.

"I am so hungry" Pepper inquired for the fifth time since they got into the car.

Tony stared at his friend from the corner of his eyes, before returning his attention to the traffic jam "We'll be there in a minute, Pepper" he reassured her.

"Oh, really? Make that an **hour** or_** three**_" interjected his fiery red haired friend from the back of the car, wincing in annoyance at the sigh of the awful traffic jam in front of them. "Ugh!" she said loudly, deciding to lie on the leather seat of the sport car.

Rhodey just rolled his eyes, trying to focus in any other thing besides Pepper and her ramblings; on the other hand Tony was trying his best to get out of the row of cars that were ruining the New Year's Eve so far and trying –at the same time to pay attention at a complaining Pepper. Minutes and minutes passed and no one seemed to be moving from their spot on the line. People screamed in completely annoyance and some others decided to go out of the car and walk since from what it looked like; no one was going anywhere for a good time.

"Do you think something bad happened? A crash, maybe?" Rhodey asked concerned, looking at his best friend.

"Nah, it's just New Year's eve" Tony replied shaking his head denying the fact that an accident happened, he knew that if it was an accident, his Pod –or Jarvis, in any case- would be informing him immediately "Besides, there's a lot of snow, you know" he continued. His eyes moved up to the rearview mirror, searching for Pepper. "Uhm…Rhodey?" he shook his friend's arm lightly "…Is Pepper still _alive_?" he asked quietly. Rhodey turned himself around to see a red headed woman, sleeping peacefully huddling herself with her big coat, snoring lightly. He couldn't blame her though; they were working with Team Iron man business non-stop all week and of course, Stark Solutions had activities to attend as well. He leaned closer to her and putted his coat on her, smiling warningly at his best friend.

"She's_ fine_" he finally added "Just sleeping" he explained. Tony smiled, trying to get a look from the scene, but quickly he had to return his attention to the road again to finally move from their annoying spot.

Rhodey cheered up silently, and after getting their selves out from the traffic jam they went straight to their favorite restaurant, in the downtown of New York City.

He quickly parked his car and the two friends un-bucked from their seat belts. Tony got out of the car, going straight to the back door. He smiled at the sight of his girlfriend sleeping like an angel "Hey Pep" he uttered "_**Patricia**_, we are here" he informed her, giggling at his girlfriend's expression when he mentioned her so unwanted name.

"_Pepper_" she corrected faster with a raspy voice, getting up slowly from her cocoon. Slowly, beautiful hazel eyes appeared from behind her messy bangs, "Where are we?" she inquired, looking to her surroundings. Tony shook his head with a roll in his eyes; lifting her up securely to proceed and get their selves out from their car. She tried to held her weight desperately **_"HEY_**!" she protested, wrinkling her nose in annoyance, making her look adorable with her freckles.

"You were asking too many questions already, I told you that I was going to do this if you fell asleep in the car again" Tony smiled mischievously.

"You suck" Pepper mumbled under her breath.

"Hey, _lovebirds_! Are you coming or what? It's freezing out here!" screamed Rhodey from the restaurant's door.

Finally, Tony putted Pepper down; and they went inside the restaurants holding hands.

* * *

After sharing the beautiful dinner, at their favorite restaurant, and exchanging some stories from College and the Military Academy, jokes and laughter; the trio was ready to go and wait for the New Year to come.

They've decided that they could walk to Time Square to assist to the Ball Drop annual event.

Adults and kids were running everywhere, waiting excited to the event to begin; Rhodey was lucky enough to find a perfect place for the three of them, and as excited as everyone else they stood up eagerly waiting for midnight to come.

Tony holds Pepper tightly from her back, placing his chin between her neck, pulling away her long red hair that was falling like an intoxicating waterfall. Pepper smiled at the gesture, and dropped her weight to his body, relaxing more. She smiled, tucking the red beret that she was wearing and wrinkled her nose due to the cold. Tony laughed silently at her distaste that the cold weather produced to her; and placed a tender kiss on her cheek, holding her hands tightly to win some heat or them.

"I'll go get Michelle" said his friend -uncomfortable because of the demonstration of affection that his friends were offering -he finally cleared his throat uncomfortably and then nodded and went in search of his new girlfriend.

Pepper laughed realizing the reaction of Rhodey "He will _never_ change, right?" she whispered to Tony.

"I don't think he will" replied her boyfriend, turning his girlfriend to finally see her face. Blue eyes were shining with love and adoration toward the redhead. She smiled, looking down to hide her sudden reddening of her cheeks.

"Hello" greeted Tony, mischievously.

She laughed again, staring at him "_Hi_" replied shyly this time.

"You are very quiet today, _Miss Potts" _noted Tony, pulling her closer to him.

"No, I 'm just ... tired" Pepper replied simply, hugging him "and I am**_ cold_**" she added.

"We don't like this weather,_ don't we?_" he asked jokingly, returning the hug happily.

"I hate it, and you know it" she affirmed, nodding slightly on his chest, she pulled away from him, just to look at his eyes. He smiled widely. They stayed like that, for a few more minutes and before they knew people were doing the final countdown of the year.

_**5…4…3…2…1…**_

"**_HAPPY NEW YEAR!_**" was the only thing they could hear, the act of the Dropping Ball, long forgotten.

Pepper bitted her lips and hugged him one more time "Happy new year" she whispered on his ear "I love you" she continued looking up to see the sky full of fireworks.

Smiling, Tony sweetly deposited a kiss on her neck "I love you too" he repeated, hugging her even more. He truly loves her, he could not imagine how lucky he was. Never in his life would he have imagined that he would be willing to spend his life with the most perfect woman in the universe. He hugged his girlfriend again, and surprising her with a kiss on her lips. And it was in that kiss; where he promised that he'll never get apart from her. College was about to end, and who knew? Maybe next year at this time, he could be spending New Year's Eve with the new_ Mrs. Stark._

**_"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day._**

**_-_****Edith Lovejoy Pierce."**

* * *

**A/N: **How about you guys? Any resolutions for this New Year? Hope you liked it, Happy 2014! :)


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